Thursday 1 March 2007
Weather : Sunny and mild, turning colder
Had a good seed sowing session. Forked in the lime on plot 2d and sowed Turnip (Snowball) , Cabbage (Golden Acre), and Calibrese (Volta). On plot 2c I sowed Leek (Musselburgh) and Mangetout (Oregon Sugar Pod). On plot 2b I sowed a row of Spinach (Scenic). I noticed that the slugs had already had a couple of the lettuce seedlings I had planted yesterday, despite the slug bait having been put down. On plot 3c I sowed a couple of rows of Parsnip (Countess).

Friday 2 March 2007
Weather : Frost overnight. Sunny morning turning to heavy rain later. Very windy.
No work - day off in London.

Saturday 3 March 2007
Weather : Sunny morning with afternoon showers. Mild.
Turned in the top dressing on part of plot 1, then another good day sowing seeds. Sowed Parsley (Envy) and Raddish (Long white icicle) on plot 1. On plot 2a I sowed Beetroot (Boltardy) and on 2c I put in the Onion (Stuttgarter Giant) sets and sowed Spring onions (Lisbon. Went back to the allotment later where it was quite busy - nice to see plenty of activity. Spread lime on plot 3c ready for the brassicas. Saw a yellow brimstone butterfly.

Sunday 4 March 2007
Weather : Overcast with heavy showers.
Too wet to work today. Eclipse of the moon last night.

Monday 5 March 2007
Weather : Sunny morning, overcast later. Windy.
Turned in the top dressing on a bit more of plot 1. Planted the 1st early potatoes (Rocket) in plot 2b. Raked in the lime dressing and sowed Brussels Sprouts (United) and Savoy Cabbage (Clarissa F1) in plot 3d.

Tuesday 6 March 2007
Weather : Heavy overnight rain with strong winds. Sunny and warm during the day.
Allotment flooded - bugger! 3" of rain over the past three days had done the deed. All of plot 3 is under water as is 2c & 2d also half of plot 1. The water seems to have come through my shed so I got round the back of it and built up the earth bank which stemmed the flow. Lots of drowned snails and slugs everywhere (hooray) but also the worms will have perished (boo). My adopted motto regarding gardening [You Can't Win] is holding true again - last year it was the drought and the year before it was the slugs.

Wednesday 7 March 2007
Weather : Light rain overnight. Sunny and warm.
Pleased to find that the flood water had gone and no evident damage resulting. Turned in the top dressing on a bit of plot 3b and sowed two rows of Spinach (Perpetual). I was delighted to find that the population of worms is unharmed. Sowed a row of Pak Choi (Tatsoi Supi) in plot 1.

Thursday 8 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Sunny and warm day.
Mowed the grass paths including my neighbours plot. Hoed between the broad beans and onions to let the soil dry. The sowing of Broad Beans are starting to show through the soil. Picked some Purple Sprouting Broccoli.

Friday 9 March 2007
Weather : Light rain overnight. Sunny day becoming windy.
Turned in the top dressing on a bit more of plot 1 and planted three rows of Garlic (Solent Wight). Trenched and added household compost to plant out the Pea (Kelvendon Wonder) seedlings in plot 2c and added a row seeds. Planted five rows of Onion (Stuttgarter Giant) sets in plot 3d. Had a chat with our allotment rep. to get up-to-date with discussions with the council regarding proposed improvements on the site.

Saturday 10 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Sunny day.
Weekend off due to family visit.

Sunday 11 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Sunny day and warm.
Day off due to family visit.

Monday 12 March 2007
Weather : Cool night. Sunny day and very warm.
Double dug a section of plot 3b. Straightened the edges of the paths between plots 1 & 2 and through the middle of plot 3. One of the adjacent allotment holders showed me a handful of cabbage white caterpillars he had found on nettles on his allotment!

Tuesday 13 March 2007
Weather : Sunny and very warm.
Took a barrowload of earth from the house to make up plot 1. Turned in the top dressing on some more of plot 3b and also 2b. Used the hand cultivator on the unplanted area of 3a and also around the asparagus. Cleared out the rubbish behind my shed ready to take to the dump. Unearthed an old window which I will use for a cold frame. Delivered some spare old fence boards to an adjacent allotment holder who is constructing a shed. Picked some White Sprouting Broccoli. Dug up the Lupins which I had sown last year and planted them in my front garden.

Wednesday 14 March 2007
Weather : Light frost. Sunny and very warm.
Turned in the top dressing on some more of plot 3b. Removed wood and iron rubbish from the allotment.

Thursday 15 March 2007
Weather : Sunny and warm.
Opened the trench for the Artichokes in plot 4 and dug in the lower level of stable manure. A skip was delivered for the allotment holders to clear their rubbish. The lorry must have hit the gate as it is now difficult to open. The council groundsman was also on site this morning talking to our rep. and looking at the site for the proposed toilet.

Friday 16 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Sunny and warm, clouding up and becoming windy.
Completed preparation for the Artichoke bed in plot 4, placing a layer of kitchen compost in the middle then top dressing with stable manure. Planted three rows of 2nd early Salad Potatoes (Nicola) in plot 2b. Sowed two rows of Broad Bean (Bunyards Exhibition) in plot 2c, having opened up a shallow trench and adding kitchen compost. Picked the remainder of the forced Rhubarb.

Saturday 17 March 2007
Weather : Sunny. Cool wind.
No work today - too much international rugby to watch!

Sunday 18 March 2007
Weather : Sunny start - squally showers later. Cold strong wind.
Dug over some more of plot 3c which loosened up the soil which had been compacted by the flood. Noticed that the weevil has been nibbling the Pea seedlings. Picked some Purple sprouting Broccoli.

Monday 19 March 2007
Weather : Sunny with heavy showers. Strong cold wind.
No work today - day at the seaside.

Tuesday 20 March 2007
Weather : Sunny spells. Strong cold wind.
Dug over some more of plot 3c, removing plenty of large stones. Used the hand cultivator on the unplanted area of plot 3a to discourage the weed seeds which are appearing and also to loosen the soil where it had been flooded. Dusted the pea seedlings with Derris to discourage the weevil. Noticed that quite a few of the seeds that I sowed earlier in the month are now popping up. Picked some of the Purple Sprouting Broccoli which is really cropping well now.

Wednesday 21 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Sunny with a cold wind.
Made up the sides for a coldframe to utilise the window which I dug out of the bank next to my allotment. Used the hand cultivator on the unplanted area of plot 3d. Dug over the remainder of plot 3b. Gave the Gooseberry bushes a dusting of Derris powder to discourage the sawfly.

Thursday 22 March 2007
Weather : Rain overnight. Dull and damp with a cold wind.
No work today as the weather was too unpleasant.

Friday 23 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Dull with a cold wind.
Widened the trench for the Artichokes on plot 4. Opened up the compost frame on plot 1 to use in the artichoke trench. Gave my surplus artichokes to a neighbouring allotment holder and received a blackcurrant bush in return. I planted it in the fruit section on plot 1.

Saturday 24 March 2007
Weather : Sunny spells with a chilly wind.
Brought in a few bags of stable manure. Planted the Jerusalem Artichokes (Fuseau) in plot 4. Had a Billhook delivered which I had ordered. I shall use it to chop up thick roots and stems for composting.

Sunday 25 March 2007
Weather : Sunny spells with a chilly wind. Light rain later.
No work today.

Monday 26 March 2007
Weather : Light frost. Sunny with a cool breeze.
Planted a row of Cabbage (Greyhound) on plot 2d. Dug through half of the fruit section by plot 3 and replanted a row of strawberry runners (variety unknown - probably Cambridge). Hoed between rows where seeds have started to show.

Tuesday 27 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Sunny and warm.
Sowed a row of Cabbage (Greyhound) on plot 2d. Dug through the remainder of the fruit section by plot 3 and replanted another row of strawberry runners.

Wednesday 28 March 2007
Weather : Sunny and very warm.
Started to dig through the fruit section by plot 1 and replanted two rows of strawberry runners. I think I may have mixed up two different varieties in the process. I notice that some of the plants have flowers already.

Thursday 29 March 2007
Weather : Some overnight rain. Sunny with a chilly wind.
Continued digging through the fruit section by plot 1 and replanted another row of strawberry runners. Picked some more Purple Sprouting Broccoli which is cropping well now.

Friday 30 March 2007
Weather : Cold night. Dull with a chilly wind. Light rain later.
Continued digging through the fruit section by plot 1 and replanted another two rows of strawberry runners. Replaced some of the soil around the Blueberry bushes with ericacious compost as some of them have not been looking at all happy. They need fairly acid soil.

Saturday 31 March 2007
Weather : Sunny with a strong cooling wind.
Completed digging through the fruit section by plot 1 and replanted the last row of strawberry runners. Managed to give away some of the surplus plants to one of the new allotment holders.